Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for getting the Bill through before the end of this Dáil term. We have seen in the past decade that the most important element in reducing the numbers of deaths and injuries on the roads is the continued upgrading and improvement of the legislative framework. There is much more work to be done by the Minister or whoever will occupy his seat in the future in codifying the law to deal with the scourge of drink driving, particularly those who seek to avoid justice. It is without doubt the most tested legislation on a daily basis. While everybody is entitled to a defence before the law, the public finds it difficult to accept that somebody who was clearly drunk fails to be prosecuted.

In the past ten years we have taken a bipartisan approach to the legislation and I hope that will continue in the next Parliament. It is the best way to do it. Political point-scoring or a slight difference of opinion should not be allowed to cloud the work that needs to be done. Much has been done in the past 15 or 20 years and I hope that work will continue. In his relatively short time in office the Minister has played a significant role in that work.

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